As I turned the silver knob on the wooden door with the words "JACKSON FREE PRESS" placed neatly on it, I started to wonder what I was getting myself into. I immediately noticed a bright, lime green room and thought to myself, "I want to work in there."
I sat patiently in the hard, black chair as the message was relayed to JFP managing editor Ronni Mott that I had arrived for my interview. My heart was pounding as loud as a bass drum in a JSU homecoming parade when she told me I could come back to her office. I guess she had noticed the nervous look on my face because she turned and said, "I must have something in my teeth!" We laughed, and I immediately calmed down and answered all of her questions.
My fellow interns have shared similar stories as to their first impressions of the JFP. Intern Callie Daniels noted that art director Kristin Brenemen's pinkish-purple hair was the first thing she noticed when stepping into the JFP office. Intern Brianna White noticed that Ronni had a small nun figure on her desk. Other interns have shared similar stories as to their first impressions of the atmosphere in the JFP office.
Then there's our wonderful editor-in-chief, Donna Ladd. On my first day when Ronni showed me around the office and introduced me to the staff, I was a bit intimidated when we peeked our heads into Donna's office. I'm guessing she was busy on her next big project because she waved hello and immediately continued typing on her computer. I thought to myself, "Here's this powerful, accomplished woman, and she has better things to do than remember an intern's name." But, boy was I wrong! In my opinion, Donna is one of the most engaged people I know. She tries her best to keep the name with the face, and she's always interested in what someone has to say.
Many people think that internships are about getting coffee and being an "assistant," as opposed to actually interning. However, the JFP puts the interns to work. We write stories, conduct interviews and factcheck just as any member of the JFP staff would. We get our pictures and bios on the contributors' page in the paper. Intern Briana Robinson was "senior intern" for her continual work with the JFP. (She just joined the staff as part-time deputy editor.)
Our Thursday intern meetings are the most interesting. I look forward to coming into the office on Thursdays. Donna usually runs our meetings and asks some weird questions that usually tie to the lesson. She asks questions as predictable as "What is one thing that you'd change about the world?" or as uncommon as "Name something you thought about in the past 24 hours." Intern Jordan Lashley says she would like to change white paternalism in the world, and the last thing I had wondered about in the past 24 hours was what kinds of things do newborns think about. We usually have some good laughs, and we get to know one another a little better.
I have made some new friends at my time in the JFP office, met some interesting people, and the JFP has changed my entire outlook on Jackson.
So I, and my fellow interns as well, send special thanks to Donna, Ronni and the entire JFP staff for making this one of our best experiences!
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